This year’s 32th Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo -- a highlight of the world's largest Harbin ice and snow festival -- will open to the public for a trial period on Dec 13, according to information released by the event’s management committee.

Currently, a total of 11 snow machines are working at the Sun Island scenic area around the clock to create  snow for the expo.

It is estimated that around 110,000 cubic meters of snow will be used to make snow sculptures.

This year’s expo will feature four themed areas: Auspicious China, Building a Better Together, Spiritual Huaxia and Happy Homeland. It will cover an area of around 600,000 sq m in total.

To date, the carving of large-scale snow sculptures such as Oriental Dragon, Auspicious Earth and Dancing in the Snow are nearing completion.

During the trial opening, visitors can not only enjoy the fine art of the snow sculptures, but also admire the snow carving craft of artists.

The fare for the normal ticket is 160 yuan ($22.74) per person, while Harbin residents can show their ID cards to buy discount tickets at 60 yuan.

Meanwhile, residents from Changchun city and Guangdong province citizens and Changchun citizens can also enjoy the same treatment as Harbin residents with their ID cards.